New Summer Experiences at Shanhaiguan

For a Cool Summer Getaway Near Beijing

Are you looking for a popular destination to escape the summer heat in Beijing? Shanhaiguan is the perfect choice. In July’s sweltering heat, Beijing residents often seek a place where they can enjoy the sea and find relief from the heat. Shanhaiguan offers just that.

Traveling to Shanhaiguan

Departing from Beijing by high-speed train, you can reach Shanhaiguan in no time. On the fastest train, you’ll arrive in just two hours and nine minutes. High-speed rail makes traveling to any destination a breeze. If you prefer driving, the journey is a little over three hours away.

Shanhaiguan in Summer

This summer, Shanhaiguan is vibrant and full of excitement, with endless activities. Everything you can think of is here, and even more that you can’t imagine. When it comes to traveling, accommodation is a top priority. Well-arranged lodgings ensure a pleasant trip. It’s recommended to stay within the ancient city of Shanhaiguan, where you can choose from homestays and hotels based on personal preference. I booked the Ming Dynasty Commandery Residence near the Drum Tower in advance, so there’s no need to worry about accommodation. You can start enjoying your trip as soon as you arrive.

Day 1: Old Dragon’s Head and Night Tour of the Ancient City

Starting midday from Beijing by car, you’ll arrive in the afternoon and head straight to the Old Dragon’s Head to play in the waves. It’s just a few minutes’ drive from the highway exit, and as soon as you get out of the car, you’ll feel the refreshing coolness of Shanhaiguan, which is much cooler than Beijing. The Old Dragon’s Head is the only section of the Great Wall in the ocean during the Ming Dynasty and also the easternmost part of the Great Wall. From here, the Great Wall winds its way westward, crossing mountains, rivers, deserts, and heading straight to the northwest.

During the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, Qi Jiguang built a 30-foot-high stone city that entered the sea. Later, although the stone city collapsed, people can still see the huge granite foundations soaked in seawater. The superior geographical location, coupled with the meticulously constructed military defense projects, has made the Old Dragon’s Head a veritable naval and military stronghold. Climbing up to the Chenghai Tower and looking at the surging sea, you can appreciate the Old Dragon’s Head that remains majestic despite the vicissitudes of wind and rain, a sight not seen at other sections of the Great Wall.

The Old Dragon’s Head consists of seven parts: the Sea-Entering Stone City, the Sea God Temple, Jinglu Platform, Nanhaikou, Chenghai Tower, Ninghai City, and the Coastal Great Wall. You can take a detailed tour.

In addition to playing in the sea and digging in the sand, a luxury camping site has been added to the beach this year. Enjoy the cool sea breeze at night and count the stars as you fall asleep. Start the day with chasing waves, collecting shells, and watching the sunrise. This is how the children’s summer vacation begins happily.

Staying at the Ming Dynasty Commandery Residence

When visiting the ancient city of Shanhaiguan, it’s also important to stay in a place that fits the scenery. Therefore, I chose the Ming Dynasty Commandery Residence, which is convenient for sightseeing. It’s located very well, next to the Drum Tower in Shanhaiguan, with an ancient city shuttle station nearby, making it convenient to go anywhere in the ancient city. The Ming Dynasty Commandery Residence has a very beautiful architectural style, and the exterior design is very attractive. The homestay courtyard is also very exquisite, with trees, water, and tea breaks, creating a pleasant environment. Ming Dynasty elements everywhere give it a strong cultural atmosphere. It’s a ten-minute walk to the First Pass Under Heaven, a few minutes to the food street, and barbecue shops, Hun Guo restaurants are right next to the homestay, visible as soon as you go out.

The most exciting things happen at night, with the National Trend Lantern Festival, National Trend band performances, and summer cool food. The National Trend Lantern Festival starts from the Drum Tower and goes all the way to the First Pass Under Heaven Tower, enjoying the scenery and tasting delicious food along the way. The First Pass Under Heaven Square summer food street has many popular ice cream, chimney bread ice cream, Shanhaiguan old ice cream, etc. Enjoying the colorful lanterns and eating refreshing ice food, the heat disappears in an instant. The Lantern Festival lasts until October.

The National Trend band performs live on holidays and weekends from 18:30 to 18:50 and from 19:10 to 19:30. The singers, dressed up, are very funny, and their passionate and cheerful performances ignite this summer.

Every night at 20:30, the Shanhaiguan Night Tour’s ‘View·Mountain and Sea’ Great Wall situational light and shadow show is a dazzling and dreamy audio-visual feast. The light and shadow change with the music to create different story situations, from the mountain and sea fortress to the hero’s past, interpreting the historical culture and regional customs of Shanhaiguan, this fortress city, with a soul-stirring and breathtaking performance.Day 2: Jiaoshan Great Wall and Shanhaiguan Adventures

Morning:
– Begin the day with a climb up the Jiaoshan Great Wall. Though not towering in altitude, its steep and treacherous slopes make for a challenging ascent. The wall’s strategic design, with its perilous outer side and easily accessible inner side, was crucial during the Ming Dynasty as it marked the boundary between Liaodong Town and Jizhou Town. At the summit, Da Pingding, one can envision the grandeur of ancient battles with a panoramic view of lush greenery.

Lunch:
– Savor the local delicacies of Shanhaiguan. Guan Duo’er Hun Guo, a hearty dish with pickled cabbage, white meat, prawns, braised meat, and frozen tofu, is a must-try, especially when paired with Shanhaiguan’s own soda water for a refreshing summer meal. Don’t miss the Boluo Ye Cake, a delicacy wrapped in cornstarch skin and Boluo leaves, offering a sticky and fragrant taste.

Afternoon:
– Explore the ancient city of Shanhaiguan, starting with the Drum Tower, which offers a bird’s-eye view of the city and a chance to play drums and bells at no cost. The city, part of the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli Great Wall, is known for its military significance, with the ‘First Pass Under Heaven’ being its iconic structure. The city’s layout, including the ‘Five Tigers Zhen Dong’ towers and the chessboard-patterned streets, reflects the meticulous ancient Chinese city defense architecture.

– Visit the Chuang Guandong Theme Cultural Experience Hall to learn about the largest human migration in history, which started from the end of the Ming Dynasty. The hall recreates the old streets of Shanhaiguan, immersing visitors in the history of those who braved hardships to seek a new life beyond the pass.

– Discover the Wang Jia Courtyard, once home to a wealthy Shanxi salt merchant and rumored to be the residence of the beautiful Chen Yuanyuan. With 18 exhibition halls filled with thousands of artifacts, from furniture to jewelry, this courtyard offers a glimpse into the luxurious lifestyle of the ‘First Family of the Great Wall’.

Evening:
– Conclude the day with a stroll through the cultural street and catch the live ancient performance ‘Guan City Past Events’. For a thrilling experience, witness the skills of the Wuqiao acrobats as they perform their daring acts.As night falls, the young master of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency sets off on his journey, escorting the escort. He passes the pass, plays in the bustling market, stands up to save the beauty, gets engaged, and experiences a flash mob. Along the way, he meets many interesting people and things. In the end, this young master actually finds a beautiful wife for himself on the way to deliver the escort. This is a mobile flash tour of Ming Dynasty market life. It starts at 19:00 every day from the Zhenyuan Escort Bureau to the First Pass Under Heaven Square.

Wuqiao acrobatics on the First Pass Under Heaven Square. At 19:30, Wuqiao acrobatics will be staged on the main stage of the First Pass Under Heaven, with unicycle, shaking banners, fire-spitting performances, etc.

There are light and shadow shows every day, and you can continue to watch. In the evening, you can stroll through the cultural street to find delicious food.

Day 3: Changshou Mountain, Meng Jiangnu Temple, return. Changshou Mountain is 9 kilometers northeast of Shanhaiguan City, and it takes about half an hour by car. The main landscapes include Xuanyang Cave, God Doctor Grotto, Shou Character Stele Forest, Three Passes, Paradise, Stone Gate, A Line Sky, Xiaoxia Gorge, Buddha Palm Peak, etc. The most important cave in Changshou Mountain is Xuanyang Cave, which is rare in the north of our country and must be seen.

A Line Sky looks very spectacular here. With rocks on both sides like two stone doors, and a very narrow passage in the middle. Looking up at the sky forms a line, especially beautiful under the blue sky and white clouds.

The Shou Character Stele Forest is one of the most worth-seeing landscapes in the Changshou Mountain Scenic Area. These cliff carvings made from stones are hidden or revealed, hidden or exposed, with different shapes and flying colors. The unique style of calligraphy from different schools forms a unique cultural landscape characteristic.

The God Doctor Grotto is located on the cliff of Yaowang Ridge. It is a group of cliff grottoes centered on the ancient famous doctors Hua Tuo, Zhang Zhongjing, Li Shizhen, etc. The grotto statues were created by the famous Chinese sculptor Liu Kaiqu, sculptor Fu Tianqiu, and Zeng Zhushao. The ‘God Doctor Grotto’ was inscribed by the famous calligrapher and painter Wu Zuoren, and there are also cliff inscriptions by international friends. This scenery integrates traditional Chinese medicine, calligraphy, and sculpture art, allowing people to appreciate the profoundness of traditional Chinese medicine and the intelligence of the Chinese people, while also feeling the majestic and majestic style of the grottoes.

Meng Jiangnu Temple. What impressed me most was the strange couplet in front of the Meng Jiangnu Temple, and almost no one in the endless stream of tourists could read it smoothly. As for the construction time of this temple, there is no conclusion so far. Some people say it was in the Song Dynasty, and some people say it was in the Ming Dynasty. Anyway, it is undeniable that it has a history of several hundred years. There are 108 steps in front of Meng Jiangnu Temple, symbolizing the twists and turns of Meng Jiangnu’s journey to find her husband. After climbing the steps and passing through the mountain gate, you will come to the front hall. Standing here, you can see the couplet that was praised by Mr. Guo Moruo as the first strange couplet in the country and is famous all over the world.

The upper couplet is: The sea water rises and falls every day.

The lower couplet is: The floating clouds grow and disappear.

In the end, Mr. Guo Moruo read this couplet easily. If you want to know how to read it, come here to find it!